Combined shelf and wall protector



Dec.. 25, 1951 N, G, KELLER ETA'L 2,580,103

COMBINED SHELF AND WALL PROTECTOR ATTORNEY,

Dec' 25, 1951 N. G. KELLER ETAL 2,580,103

COMBINED SHELF AND WALL PROTECTOR Filed nec. 26, 1945 2 SHEETS-Smm 2 /A/ VENTO/es. /VELL/E G /fELLE/. WML/,4M J/ffLLfe TTOE/VEV.

Patented Dec. 25, 1951 v'lis-'1w oeFFlcE COMBINED SHELF AND WALL PROTEQTOB Nellie G. Keller and william J. lli-euer,

t. Louis, Mo.

ApplicationDecember 26, 194,5, SerialNm 637..-2f73,

(Cl. y'45e-'366 This invention relates to a combined shelf, and wall protector.

y The object of the present invention is the provision of a device adapted to be removably securedto a ,kitchen wallto serve as a hollow shelf above and to the back of a kitchen range, andrwhich is provided with a roller curtain, or wall; protector which, when pulled down, will serve as'v a wall protector to prevent smoke, grease and dirt accumulation on the wall adjacent the top of the range.

A further object of the invention is to provide a devicey of the. character of such construction that the wall protector may be completely concealed by the shelf when not in use.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a novel kitchen device which will be ornamental, as well as useful, simple and inexpensive in cost of manufacture, and highly eilicient for the purpose intended.

These and other objects we attain by the construction, arrangement and combination of parts shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration, is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specication, wherein like characters of reference denote similar parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a view, in perspective, of a kitchen range and a combination kitchen shelf and wall protector arranged in association therewith, the latter embodying the features of our invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the device embodying the features of the invention, the same being shown as partly broken away.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken on line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an end View looking at the right hand end of the shelf.

Fig. 5 is an end view looking at the left hand end of the shelf.

The present invention is concerned with a device for keeping the kitchen wall clean and free from smoke, grease and dirt accumulation adjacent the top of a kitchen range, and when not in use serving as a shelf adjacent the -top of the range.

Briefly, the device consists of a hollow shelf and a suitable flexible and washable roller curtain wholly contained within the shelf and out of view when not in use, and exposed to view below the shelf to cover the wall surface above and to the rear of a kitchen range when in operative position.

'The shelf designated, generallyaS-A, consists' of an elongated back wall Lend walls 2 and 3, a top wall 4 and a movable front wall 5, which when assembled as shown, constitutes a hollow shelf.

The back wall I is provided witha yplurality of openings 6, or equivalent means, forv removably hanging the device from-suitable fastening devices l., which are `Vsecured tothe. kitchen wall 8 for supporting the shelf in position a suitable distance above/and yto, the rear of a kitchen range 9.

The front edge of the top Wall 4 is upturned to provide a flange IIJ so that the top of 'theshelf can serve as a plate or other dish rail.

The movable front wall 5 is preferably curved in shape and fits between the end walls 2 and 3. The wall 5 is preferably hinged at its upper end by means of a suitable hinge pin I I supported in openings I2 in the end walls 2 and 3. The lower edge of the front wall 5 is upturned, as at I3 to provide a flange which, when the front wall is in its closed position, contacts the inner face of the back wall I. Inwardly projections, or protuberances formed by indenting, or depressing the material of the end walls outwardly, as atA I4 adjacent their rear lower corners, serve to provide means to hold the front wall closed after the side edges of the front Wall have passed by the protuberances I4.

A roller I5, spring controlled, such for instance as a window shade roller, is supported at its ends by the end walls 2 and 3 which serve as roller supporting brackets. The walls 2 and 3 are resiliently flexible so that the roller can be detachably supported. The end wall 2 is provided adjacent its upper rear corner with an opening IB to receive the cylindrical fitting I'I at one end of the roller, and the other end wall 3 is provided adjacent its upper rear corner with a slotted opening I8 to receive the rectangular fitting I9 at the opposite end of the spring controlled roller.

The suitable curtain, or shade like material E of plastic, or other suitable material, transparent or gured and preferably washable, is suitably secured at its one end to the roller I5 and its other, or free edge is provided with a loop 20 to receive a reinforcing strip 2I. The curtain, or shade like material serves as a wall protector, as is obvious, and it is preferably as wide, or wider than the width of the kitchen range, so as to protect the surface area adjacent the top of the range between the shelf and the range.

From the foregoing description, it is clearly apparent that when the wall protector curtain is not in use that it is rolled up on the roller and concealed from view within the hollow shelf. The hinged front wall 5 can be easily lifted to remove, or replace the roller l5 and the shade thereon, and the wall 5 usually stands slightly open as in the dotted line position when the wall protector curtain is drawn downwardly to serve as a protection for the wall adjacent the top of the range during cooking periods.

It will be obvious that the construction hereinbefore set forth is capable of change and modication without materially departing from the spirit of the invention, and we accordingly do not wish to limit ourselves to such specic structure, except as hereinafter claimed.

What we claim is:

In a wall protector for kitchens to protect the wall from grease and the like when cooking foods on a range, the combination of a right angular member constituting a back wall and a top wall projecting forwardly from the upper edge thereof, theV back wall'having slotted openings adjacent the upper cornersthereof adapted to receive wall fasteners for detachably supporting the member to the rear of and above the top of the range, end walls connected with the back and top walls and having convexed front edges, a concaved-convexed front wall disposed between the end walls and below the top wall, a hinge pin carried by the end walls adjacent the upper front corners thereof from which the front wall is hingedly suspended, detents projecting inwardly from the end walls for holding the front wall in its closed position, the lower edges of the front wall terminating in an inwardly projecting ange adapted to engage the back wall when in its closed position, and said back, top, end and front walls providing a compartment adapted to contain a roller supported curtain which may be pulled down when the side edges of the front wall have been moved forwardly past the detents to provide a gap between the flanged lower end of the hinged front wall and the back wall and to conceal the curtain when raised and the hinged front wall is in its closed position.

NELLIE G. KELLER. WILLIAM J. KELLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 245,999 Fast `Aug. 23, 1881 315,345 `Sanders Apr. 7, 1885 1,061,194 McNulty May 6, 1913 1,270,718 Ford June 25. 1918 1,688,677 Winter Oct. 23, 1928 1,751,777 Vctorsohn Mar. 25, 1930 1,970,054 Nordan Aug. 14, 1934 2,534,645 West Dec. 19, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 765,265 France Mar. 19, 1931 

